Lai-ayette j



L. J. ALLIE.

FLUE STOPFER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 24. 1920.

1,401,936, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

LAFAYETTE J". ALLIE, OF ST. PAUL, MNNESOTLAQ FLUE-STOPPERQ Specification of Letters Patent. Patehtgd Dec, 27, 1921.

Application led February 24, 1920. `Serial No. 360,807.

T o all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, LAFAYETTE' J. ALLIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul. in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, haverinvented a new and useful Improvement in Fine-Stoppers, of which the following is a specification. My invention relatesto improvements in ue Stoppers and is Aparticularly adapted for use in connection with a chimney flue where it is desirable to close the flue opening when the pipe is removed from Vthe thimble to form a closure with a neat outer ap earance. v

primary feature of my invention is in a simple device which is readily collapsible for packing and shippingv and is provided with means for firmly anchoring the closure, over the outer end of the thimble opening so that it will not easily become misplaced but will be held with its periphery snugly about the outer edge of the thimble opening.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide anchoring means for Vthe closure which will have a `tendency to draw theV closure tight over the iiue opening. When the anchoring means is set in holding position it is so constructed as to engage the inner surface of the flue opening at an angle and under spring tension, causing the engaging ends of the anchoring meansftotend te bite into the inner surface of the flue opening. While the releasing means in connection with the anchoring element engages the closure axially, tending to draw the same tightly over the outer end of the flue opening. The stopper can be readily removed from the ue opening by releasing the anchoring means. Y

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l illustrates the inner face of the flue stopper with its closure and anchoring means.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the stopper in connection with a thimble and flue opening, partly illustrated in longitudinal section. Y A

Fig.- 3 is a vertical section of the stopper, illustrating the normal position of the anchoring means. Y

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the closure portion of the stopper in connection with the anchoring and releasing means as they would appear in knocked-down or collapsed position for packing.

Fig. 5 is an inner view of .an alternative construction' of my stopper.

rihe drawing illustratesthe stopper A,

which is adapted for use particularly as a Y iue stopper, but itwillreadily be seen that the stopper can also be used. for other purposes to form ,a closure for an Aopening. rhe stopperAis formed with 4a suitable circular closure-10, which is of ordinary construction, -to whichare attached bracket arms 11 by rivets or other suitable attaching means.

The arms l1, when attachedto the closureilO,

lie flat against thesame, excepting that they are provided with, scores 12 so that when their outer free end y13 is engagedthe bracket arms can-be bent into the position illustrated in Figs.2 and 3. It is mostdesirable to have the arms 11Y lie flat or approximately so against the inner surface of the closure 10, to which they `are attached, before the stopper A is set up and put together for use so that ,it can-be readily packed for shipment or storage and Y this forms an important feature of my invention.

The free ends 13 of the arms 11 are rovided withfopenings 14, through which the engaging ends 15 of the springanchoring element 16 project when the bracket arms 11 are bent at approximately right Vangles to their attached ends and the inner surface of the closure-'10. r Y

' The spring anchor-ing element '16 iscenl trally engaged between its :ends by the oper atingbolt 17, which is adjustably attached by the Vnuts 18 to the anchoring element 16 on oner'end and is provided with an engagin head 19 o n the other end, which is forme with a stop shoulder 20. v f

The engaging head 19 projects from the outer surface of the closure 10 while the operating end of the bolt 17which engages the anchoring element-,16, extends through the closure axially and the shoulder 2O is adapted to engage the outer surface of the closure when the anchoring element 16 is moved into locking position, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2.

` ln the useof the stopper A asa Hue closure, the head 19 -is engaged andpulled outward slightly to withdraw the engaging endsl of the spring anchoring element 16 suliiciently to allow the anchoring means of the stopper to be inserted freely into the thimble or flue opening B; When the closure of the stopper is in place against the outer surface of the 'flue opening, the op'erating bolt 17 is pressed inward, which causes the engagingl ends -15 to move from the dotted position, illustrated in Fig. 2, to the full line position, in the directlon of the arrow. This movement of the engaging ends 15' causes them to scrape `along the inner surface of the fine opening-B, tendingy to draw the closure 10 tightly againstthe outer opening of the flue opening, while when the shoulder 2O comes into engagement with the outer surface of the closure, the anchoring element 16 will hold the closure in closed position under spring tension with the ends 15 having a tendency to bite into the inner surface of thefiue opening B. This feature is desirable in the operation of a flue stopper, as it tends to draw the closure of the stopper more tightly into closed position and always holds the same in closed position under spring tension. Thus the stopper will not readily become mis-' placed or jar loose. r Y

The spring anchoring element 16 is adapt- Y ed to normally extend straight or flat, as

illustrated `in Figs.` 3 and 4, and its length being somewhat longer than the inner d1` i ameter, of the 'iiue opening in which Vit is adapted for use, causesit to be moved into t a bowedposition `when in anchoring posltion or when it is beirlg inserted. The free ends of the element 16 are formed with shoulders 21, which engage against the arms g 11 slightly when the element is in released r spring element 16'Y and prevent it from loeposition, as illustrated in Fig. 3. These shoulders 21 have a tendency to center the coming easily misplaced. Fig 5 illustrates the spring element 16 formed ywith `four engaging ends from a single piece of spring material, which is' provided with flue engaging ends 15.V This construction provides-double the amount of engaging andholding-strength to the stopper A butthe Yfunctions of the element 16 are exactly'the same as that ofthe single arm, which is 'onlyprovidedwith the two' engag` Ving ends.

The element 16v is operated in the same manner bythe bolt 17. v

The operating bolt 17 is rigidly attached to the element 16 bythe ynuts 18 and'is adjustable bythe same so that the bolt -17 can be properly positioned and connected to the spring anchoring element 16. 0n the other hand `vvhenit is desiredthe stopper A can be Collapsedby disengaging the member 17"'fromthe member 16 and the freek ends of the bracket arms can also be bent.` back flat against the inner surface Yof thek closure 10. `In fact, these bracket arms can be bent severaltimes without injury to the of the following claims same if they are made of the proper material. It is also a feature of the invention that the spring anchoring elementl can be replaced at any time by a new similar element if it is desired.r

The angular, bowedposition assumed b the anchoringl element 16 when itis moved `from the dotted position into locking position, `as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2, will readily set forth the eliicient manner in which lthe anchoring means of the stopper Ahold the same in closed position and it is evident that the stopper can be readily removed from the flue opening by engaging the head 19 and pulling the sameoutward,

which releases or unlocks the engaging ends "15. When the stopper A is collapsedit is very compact, thus making it more easy to handle for shipment or storage or to be handled in the stores where they are offered for sale. The inexpensive, simple construction gives a device-of a practical nature. Y Y y Inaccordance with? the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my inventlon and` while the construction illustrated is of a particular form, I do not Ythe stopperl within a flue opening.

2. A iiuestopper comprising a closure member, l supports `on vsaid closure member, aone-piece normally planiform spring member of a. dimension greater than the diameter of the i'iue opening mounted on said supports, said spring member' being t adapted to be arched toward the closure s member upon insertioninto the flue opening and to be archedaway from said Yclosure member to secure the stopper within a flue.

35A iiuey stopper comprising a closure member, supports on said closure member,

a one-piece normally'` planiform spring" member of a dimension greater than the flue opening and mounted on said supports, and means for arching said spring member toward said closure member for permitting insertion of the stopper within a flue opening andr for reversing the arching of said spring away fromrthe closure member to cause said `closure member to be drawn into the flue opening Yand secured therein.

4.V collapsible flue stopper,V comprising a closure andanchoring means adapted to be Ycollapsed into a flat, compact state when not n use, said anchoring means including a normally planiorm, spring engaging or anchoring element.

5. A Hue stopper, including a closure, bracket arms attached normally planiform against said closure, a Hat, spring anchoring element, an operating bolt for said element and scores formed in said bracket arms to allow the free ends to be bent to project from the inner surface of said closure to receive said spring anchoring element andl said operating bolt being adapted to be connected to said anchoring element to form a closure for the purposes specified.

6. In a device of the class described, including a closure and a spring anchoring element freely attached to said closure and adapted to hold said closure against an openin under spring tension.

In a device of the class described, in-

cluding a closure, a normally Vplaniform, spring anchoring element and means for attaching and operating said element to hold said closure inclosed position over an opening.

8. In combination with a Hue thimble a Hue stopper comprising a closure member, supporting means secured on said closure member, means movable and'supported by said supporting means and having an engaging end adapted to engage the Hue thimble along its inner surface, and means for moving said engaging means .When the stopper is inserted relative to Said closure member along said thimble in a direction toward said closure member to cause the closure member to be drawn inwardly tight 

